Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Prevention and risks

Maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene are very important personal practices that help reduce the risk of infection or spreading infection to others.

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
  • If soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• When coughing or sneezing:
  • cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand
  • dispose of any tissues you've used as soon as possible in a lined waste basket and wash your hands immediately afterwards
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Together, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep a physical distance between each other. Physical distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak.

This means making changes in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others, including:

• avoiding exposure or keeping it very brief in:
  • closed spaces
  • crowded places
  • close-contact settings and close-range conversations
  • settings where there's singing, shouting or heavy breathing (for example, during exercise)
• avoiding non-essential travel
• avoiding common greetings, such as handshakes
• limiting contact with those at risk of more severe illness, such as:
  • older adults
  • those with underlying medical conditions
  • those with compromised immune systems
• maintaining a physical distance of 2 metres from people outside of your household

Wear a non-medical mask or face covering when:

• you're in public and you might come into close contact with others
• you're in shared indoor spaces with people from outside your immediate household
• advised by your local public health authority

Public health officials make recommendations to wear non-medical masks or face coverings based on a number of factors. These factors including rates of infection and/or transmission in the community. In some jurisdictions, the use of non-medical masks or face coverings is now mandatory in many indoor public spaces and on public transit. Check with your local public health authority on the requirements for your location.

Wearing a non-medical mask or face covering is part of a layered approach to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must consistently and strictly practise:

• good hygiene, which includes frequent hand washing and not touching your face with unwashed hands
• public health measures, such as:
  • staying home when you're not feeling well
  • maintaining a physical distance of 2 metres from people outside of your household

For more information on wearing non-medical masks and face coverings, refer to the:

• guidelines on wearing non-medical masks and how to make your own
• COVID-19 Special Advisory Committee's recommendations on the use of non-medical masks or face coverings in community settings

The COVID-19 virus is most likely to be on surfaces you frequently touch with your hands. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces to lower the chance of COVID-19 spreading in your home, workplace and public spaces.

Health Canada has published a list of hard surface disinfectants that are likely to be effective for use against COVID-19.

Special precautions must be used when cleaning with bleach to avoid serious incidents.

When caring for someone with COVID-19, follow the appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of illness.

Safety advice to reduce your risk and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 during holidays and celebrations.

Some people may be at greater risk of COVID-19 than others due to their occupational, social, economic, and other health and life circumstances.

You may be more likely to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus because:

• your job or occupation requires you to be in contact with large numbers of people, which increases your chances of being exposed to someone who has COVID-19
• you live in a group setting where the COVID-19 virus may transmit more easily
  • for example, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, shelters or group residences
• you face barriers that limit your ability to access or implement effective public health measures
  • for example, individuals with disabilities who encounter non-accessible information, services and/or facilities

To reduce your risk, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to your loved ones:

• if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, stay home, stay away from others and get tested
• keep up with effective public health practices, such as physical distancing, hand-washing and wearing non-medical masks or face coverings
• wear a medical mask if you're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and you'll be in close contact with others or going out to access medical care
  • if a medical mask is unavailable, wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering

Coronaviruses can result in severe illness for some people in our communities. Those who are at risk of developing more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19 are people:

• who are an older adult (increasing risk with each decade, especially over 60 years)
• of any age with chronic medical conditions, including:
  • lung disease
  • heart disease
  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • kidney disease
  • liver disease
  • dementia
  • stroke
• any age who are immunocompromised, including those:
  • with an underlying medical condition, such as cancer
  • taking medications which lower the immune system, such as chemotherapy
• living with obesity (BMI of 40 or higher)

To reduce your risk, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to your loved ones:

• if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, stay home, stay away from others and get tested
• keep up with effective public health practices, such as physical distancing, hand-washing and wearing non-medical masks or face coverings
• wear a medical mask if you're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and you'll be in close contact with others or going out to access medical care
  • if a medical mask is unavailable, wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering

Think about the risks before going out. Keep yourself and others safe when doing personal and social activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you're pregnant and concerned about COVID-19, speak to your health care provider.

Because COVID-19 is a new disease, we're still learning how it affects pregnant people. At this time, there's no evidence to suggest that pregnant people are at a greater risk:

• for more serious outcomes related to COVID-19
• of having their developing child negatively affected by COVID-19

You can protect yourself from becoming ill by taking the following precautions.

• Stay home as much as possible, except for important medical appointments.
• Make limited trips to the store for essentials.
• Avoid crowded places and peak-hours.
• Talk to your doctor, obstetrician or midwife about the possibility of telephone or videoconference appointments.
• Avoid unnecessary visitors to your home.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol if soap and water aren't available.
• Practise physical distancing by keeping a distance of at least 2 metres from others.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes without washing your hands first.
• Avoid travel by public transit as much as possible.

For more information, refer to our advice on pregnancy, childbirth and caring for newborns.

The risk of getting COVID-19 may be increased for travellers. If you must travel, check the latest travel advice before you leave.

If you're a returning traveller (either travelling into Canada, or, in some instances, travelling from one province or territory to another) you'll be required to:

• quarantine (self-isolate) at home when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms
• isolate yourself if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and it's possible that you've been exposed to the virus

We'll continue to adapt our risk assessment based on the latest data available.

Additional restrictions apply to travellers returning to Canada.

Have you been on a recent flight, cruise or train trip? Check the listed exposure locations to see if you may have been exposed to COVID-19.

You can also join the effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 with Canada's free COVID Alert app. It notifies you if someone you were near in the past 14 days tells the app they tested positive. Download COVID Alert.

It's not certain how long the virus survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Research suggests that the virus may live on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days depending on:

• temperature
• type of surface
• humidity of the environment

Surfaces frequently touched with your own hands or other peoples hands are most likely to become contaminated, including:

• tables
• phones
• handrails
• doorknobs
• credit cards
• countertops
• light switches
• faucet handles
• steering wheel
• cabinet handles
• elevator buttons

Packages that you receive in the mail may be contaminated, but because parcels generally take a few days to be delivered, the risk of spread is low.

To protect yourself from COVID-19, make sure to do the following when handling products shipped within or outside of Canada:

• wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after handling the package
• avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands

There's no evidence that COVID-19 can spread through the water. However, it can spread from person to person through close contact in and around the water. This includes crowded spaces, such as:

• public:
  • lakes
  • rivers
  • beaches
  • swimming pools
• pool decks
• change rooms
• public washrooms

COVID-19 can also spread through contaminated surfaces. Avoid sharing swimming gear with others. This includes things like:

• towels
• goggles
• pool toys
• nose clips
• kick boards
• snorkel equipment
• lifejackets that haven't been cleaned after use

There's currently no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus. There are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 transmission through food.

We're continually working to examine new scientific evidence between food safety and COVID-19. Scientists and food safety authorities around the world are also working closely to share information on COVID-19. We'll continue to update Canadian food safety practices based on the most relevant and recent scientific findings.

If we become aware of a potential food safety risk, appropriate actions will be taken to ensure the safety of Canada's food supply.

Learn more about food safety and healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current spread of COVID-19 is a result of human-to-human transmission. There's no evidence to suggest that animals infected by humans are playing a role in the ongoing spread of this disease. Animals and COVID-19 is an area that continues to be studied by scientists.

Learn how to keep pets and livestock, as well as yourself, safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sexual health is an important part of overall health. But sex can be complicated in the time of COVID-19 for:

• intimate partners not part of the same household bubble
• those who are or whose partner is:
  • at higher risk of more severe disease or outcomes of COVID-19
  • at higher risk for COVID-19 due to work, living situation or other life circumstances

Because COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets, kissing is a high-risk activity. Even if no one's showing symptoms, sexual activity with partners outside of your small, consistent and trusted contact bubble increases your risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. However, current evidence indicates there's a very low likelihood of getting COVID-19 through semen or vaginal fluids.

If having sex with someone outside of your small, consistent and trusted contact bubble, reduce the risk to yourself and others.

• Monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms, and stay home and avoid sex if you or a partner are experiencing them.
• Limit the use of alcohol and other substances so you and a partner are able to make safe decisions.
• Avoid kissing and face-to-face contact or closeness.
• Consider using a non-medical mask that covers your nose and mouth.

In addition to COVID-19 prevention measures, always engage in safe sex practices. This includes using condoms, and knowing both your own and a partner's sexually transmitted infection status.

For more information on how to protect your sexual health in general and during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit:

• CATIE: Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C information
• SIECAN: Sexual health and COVID-19 (PDF)